How did I end up in Montana? I was lucky, I guess.

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River’s Edge Park

I’ve been a bit remiss about posting pictures of the garden this season. Fact is, the garden looks fantastic! Best ever! We have wonderful plot holders who are committed to the upkeep of the garden.

We all walk around the garden looking at the various ways people grow their healthy food–and this, of course, is the beauty of the community garden concept. We get ideas from each other, we problem solve together and we celebrate our successful harvests. We get a little overly excited about when our beans sprout, and we become gravely concerned when a hole appears in the leaf of a new pepper seedling. We worry about chilly NW Montana mornings, and we stare endlessly at our gardens–contemplating the next chore, wondering why our potato plants aren’t as big as Robbie’s, and discussing the merits of rows vs. mounds. Should we use straw? Is the compost ready yet? Why won’t the mower start? Should I have done square foot gardening like Staci and Craig? Drip hoses or hand watering?

I love it! So here are some pictures of the garden in early June. Enjoy.

Only gardeners get excited about compost bins, I think.

Bug motel. The good kind.

Hops. Under new management. Welcome, Coralan and Nate!

Food Bank plot looks fabulous, Robbie!

Neon!

Corn sprouts

Some haphazardly planted potatoes. Still, I think my ten-year-old minion did a great job!

I have definitely realized that I am a “cold-weather blogger”. When winter lasts as long as it does in NW Montana, it seems silly to spend those few nice months inside at a computer. Still, I want you to see the progress of our community garden. It has truly never looked better.

Warning: if you don’t like pictures of vegetables, stop here.

This is the Boys & Girls Club plot

Starting to look like the Pinterest project that inspired it…

Desert Mountain Brewing is growing hops in the garden. Aren’t they pretty?

More hops

Thanks to Arnold and Naomi for making the compost bins!

This is the Food Bank plot. Thanks to Robbie and all the work she has done!

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for checking on our progress this season!

It has been forever and a year since I last posted. Turns out, May is a ridiculously busy month at work, at home and at the garden. Who knew?

I don’t have too much time to write…I have to finish knitting an end of the year teacher gift, but I wanted to show you what has been going on in the garden. If you are not a fan of pictures of garden plots, emerging vegetables, and the like, this post may not be for you.

Remember when I mentioned that River’s Edge Park, where the garden is located, was closed for two weeks? This is what they were working on:

The new entrance to River’s Edge Park

There are cool trails that the little kids just love…and there are big rocks to climb on…

So, ultimately, it was worth having to adjust our gardening hours.

Here is a nice shot of the Garden sign with some of the new landscaping:

And another shot:

The rocks are so much better than the ugly barbed-wire fence that used to be there!

Now for a garden tour. Everyone has been doing such a fabulous job prepping their plots. For those of you in other parts of the country who are worried that we are getting a late start, rest assured that gardening in NW Montana is a late May, early June kinda thing. We had about 2 inches of heavy wet snow late last week…lots of branches down, but luckily no garden damage.

First, the community beds:

Our herb garden against the backdrop of the new landscaping

Chives in the herb garden

Gorgeous oregano

Majoram. I’ve never used this herb before…what do you use it with?

Raspberries

Community potatoes–looks like they need a little weeding!

Onion and garlic beds. The onions look great–but I think we put too much straw on the garlic over the winter. Always a lesson to be learned.

Kyle planted corn–another plot holder asked if the corn knows to come up through the little holes in the plastic. I think it does!

Strawberries

On to our plot holders’ gardens:

Tasha’s plot

Ken and Leslie’s plot is looking good!

Ken and Leslie Plot #2

Janina and Brian have some onions and potatoes going

A long shot of Marlene and David’s 2 plots. They have been working hard!

I think Kyle and Erin have a thing for onions. Look at those beautiful rows!

…and their sweet hoop house

Another shot of Erin and Kyle’s plots–I have a tinge of gardener’s jealousy going on!

Master gardener Robbie’s plot. She is growing it entirely for the food bank.

The dedicated CFCG Food Bank plot is coming along

Adam and Kristen’s plot

Natalie is getting her plants started in Wall O’Waters. Great idea!

Naomi and Arnold are experimenting with potato “structures” and they have some things flourishing in their hoop house

Lucy and Andrew’s hard work is paying off

Staci and Craig have been attacking that pasture grass every weekend. It will pay off, I promise!

Ric and Jenna’s plot is cleared and ready to go

…as is Karissa’s

Long shot of Erma and Gary’s plots. I am jealous all summer long about how meticulous their plots always are!

Rhubarb in Daniel’s plot

I always watch what Kyle does in his plot very closely…his peppers were amazing last year. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to make salsa–my peppers just never produced.

And finally, if you have made it this far, this is what is growing in my personal plots.

Pallet radishes

The beginnings of lettuce and spinach…not entirely sure the pallet was the best way to go with these, but it is always an experiment!

Kale

Tomatoes and peppers. I went with the “red mulch” this year, and wow…the soil really is so much warmer underneath. Even more so, I think, than under black plastic. I may put it under my peppers too, since they are so sensitive to cold. A little research, first, though.

Broccoli Lane, with a few cauliflower at the end. My youngest insisted on cauliflower. Seriously.

Pretty potatoes in a pretty crooked row.

Newly emerged bush bean

Cabbage and garlic

I just realized I forgot to take pictures of the hops being grown by Desert Mountain Brewing…I will edit the post to include them tomorrow. This is our wonderful community garden. We still have some work to do, but I am so very happy with what we have accomplished.

It is a gorgeous almost-spring day today. The sun is shining brightly, warming us through our coats. We decided to take a walk to River’s Edge Park with Murphy the Giant Puppy and the boys. For its size, Columbia Falls boasts a number of nice parks (11, to be exact). They contain playground equipment, picnic tables, etc…the normal park trappings.

River’s Edge Park is special–it is a wide open space of nearly 30 acres and hosts approximately 900 feet of river front. It is home to the Columbia Falls Community Garden, where I spend a whole lot of quality time during the growing season.There is a muskrat pond, two vast fields, and many winding trails throughout our park.It is our favorite place to walk the dog.And to watch the birds.To sit and watch the river flow by.

Montana

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